Licht wissen 14 Ideas for Good Home Lighting

The entrance to a home merits special attention where lighting is concerned. It is the first thing a visitor sees. So it is important to select bright and cheerful – but also practical – lighting that reflects the style and personality of the occupants.

licht.wissen 14

Ideas for Good Home Lighting

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One of the most important things in life is having a place where we really feel at home It makes no difference whether it we own it or rent it or whether it is an apart-ment or a house: what matters is the sense of security and wellbeing we feel within its walls The right lighting concept plays a crucial role here

Science defines light as the band of electromagnetic radiation that is perceptible

by the human eye The designer sees it as a tool offering innumerable possibilities for crafting living space to suit personal needs and preferences Our aim in publish-ing this licht.wissen 14 is to highlight those possibilities and to provide a guide that will help you translate them successfully into good lighting – because correct light-ing not only promotes a sense of wellbeing; it is also good for health

What the sun does outdoors needs to be performed indoors by artificial lighting In nature, the soft diffuse light of the sky combines with the dynamic, directional light

of the sun to present a spectacular ever-changing show of light and shadow cal moments are created, for example, when sunbeams dance in the forest or when shafts of light suddenly burst through the clouds on an overcast day In the home, background brightness is provided by general room lighting, while lighting accents are set by supplementary zone lighting A balanced lighting design is a prime requirement for an optimal room atmosphere, which has positive physiological and psychological impacts both above and below the conscious threshold

Magi-This booklet contains a range of design ideas and tips for lighting in the various parts of the home It also covers aspects such as quality criteria, standards and regulations If you require more in-depth information on any of the topics featured here, we recommend that you check out the knowledge database at www.licht.de, which bundles impartial expertise from more than 120 licht.de members licht.de (formerly Fördergemeinschaft Gutes Licht looks back more than 30 years as your competent contact for all questions relating to light and lighting

From entrance to bedroom, bathroom to nursery, living room to kitchen – every room in the home needs a lighting concept that is tailored to the function or func-tions it performs While reading this booklet, simply imagine walking through the rooms of your planned or present home, bringing each one to life with good lighting

In that spirit, on behalf of licht.de, I wish you lots of fun and lots of good ideas for better lighting in your home

Dipl Designer Klaus Liese

[Front cover] Living room with different lighting zones that can be tailored to individual require- ments.

[01] Lighting in and around the house has an impact after dark Illuminated plants and under- water lights provide the finishing touches for an

Detailed professional

informa-tion on important issues relating

to good design, lighting control,

safety, energy efficiency and

Bathroom Page 34

Home office Page 44

Nursery/ teenager‘s room

Page 46

Bedroom Page 48

Safety and standards

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Entrance lighting

The entrance to a home merits special attention where lighting is concerned It is the first thing a visitor sees

So it is important to select bright and cheerful – but also practical – lighting that reflects the style and

personality of the occupants

Good exterior lighting is not just tion; it also helps provide security for resi-dents and guests Driveway and entrance lighting is the calling card of any home It indicates the safe route to front door, ga-rage or carport It also extends a welcome

decora-to guests and facilitates the identification

of visitors

An illuminated house number ensures that not only guests but also taxi drivers, deliv-ery services and, in an emergency, medics find the house quickly

To ensure easy orientation, the route to the front door needs to be sufficiently bright

Where there are stairs or steps on it, safety

is ensured by supplementary plinth, lard or orientation lights

bol-It is important that there should be a well illuminated area at the front door This

ensures that key and keyhole can easily

be found and names beside doorbells are clearly legible

Lighting all around the building offers fort and security It also provides protection against uninvited guests Motion detectors allow no one to approach under cover of darkness

com-Photoelectric lighting controllers permit comfortable and economical lighting Suit-ably compatible energy-saving lamps are recommended here

Wall luminaires and downlights set in opies or overhanging roofs can strikingly underline the architecture of a house Re-cessed ground luminaires cast buildings and surrounding vegetation in a dramatic light

can-02-04] Outdoor lighting should suit the style

of the house and underline the architecture

Luminaires should be designed and

posi-tioned so that no one is dazzled by their light

[08] Recessed ground luminaires lead

guests to the house and cast the entrance

in a special light In the driveway, recessed

ground luminaires with safety glass

enclo-sures for loads up to 3,000 kg and with a high

degree of protection (IP 65 or IP 67) are a

suitable option

Lighting tips:

House entrance

Front door lighting [03-05] Wall luminaires or

downlights recessed in canopies are

particu-larly suitable for front door lighting To ensure

that they withstand all weathers, only

qual-ity luminaires with rating plate and mark of

conformity should be used IP44 (protection

against solid bodies larger than 1mm and

splashwater) is a minimum requirement for

outdoor applications

Step and obstacle lighting [06] Bright

light-ing for obstacles and steps makes for safety

Appropriate lighting options include step lights

and bollard/post-top luminaires

House number lighting [07] Permanently

illu-minated, sufficiently large house numbers are

needed to ensure that visitors find the house

quickly To ensure that a house number can be

read easily from a distance, self-illuminating

numerals should be at least 10 cm and

exter-nally illuminated numerals at least 20 cm high

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Hall and stairway lighting

Bright, good lighting is essential for the most important circulation areas of a house or apartment The prime requirement in a hallway is safety and sufficient light at the coatstand and mirror However, lighting should also set accents and ensure that a guest‘s first impression of the home is a positive one

Whether visitors are going to feel at home

in a house is decided the moment they step through the door In many cases, hall-ways have no window So bright, invigorat-ing lighting is also required there during the day

In addition to the general room ing required for background brightness, spots can be effectively used to highlight furniture and pictures Mood lights on a sideboard or chest of drawers can help create an inviting atmosphere Attention should also be paid to good mirror lighting

light-This enables anyone leaving the house to run a quick eye over their clothing in good

light before stepping outside Hallways look larger and more attractive where room lighting bounces off ceiling and walls This

is best realised with ceiling or wall naires that emit as much light as possible upwards or sideways

lumi-Track systems – which allow a number of luminaires to be deployed regardless of where the ceiling outlet is located – are

a good solution for a hallway ing room lighting with zone lighting, they make for a balanced but dynamic lighting design

Combin-[09] Special architectural features can be

emphasized to very good effect with a track

system It also offers lots of opportunities to

highlight different functional zones

[10] Step lights make staircases safer and

provide eye-catching illumination They also

emphasize and positively accentuate the

materiality of the stairs

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Safety in the stairwaySadly, staircases are a frequent scene of accidents The cause, in many cases, is poor lighting: either it is not bright enough

or the light of incorrectly positioned minaires dazzles or generates confusing shadows that can lead to errors of judge-ment with serious consequences

lu-Most accidents happen on the way down stairs So it is particularly important that lighting should make the individual treads clearly discernible from above

Stair treads are well lit when each vidual tread casts a short, soft shadow

Lighting tips:

Hall and stairway

Mirror lighting [17] The best way to illuminate

a person at a mirror is to position luminaires with warm-white lamps at the right and left of the mirror for shadow-free lighting

Hall stand lighting [18] It is advisable to install supplementary luminaires to ensure uniform illumination of a cupboard or coat stand Important note: luminaires recessed in or mounted on wood surfaces need to display the fire protection symbol “F“, “M“ or “MM“ and should be VDE, ENEC or GS certified

Avoid glare on stairs The lamps in wall luminaires for stairways need to be shielded from above and below and definitely must not cause glare

[11-14] The optimal complement for general

lighting, wall luminaires set design accents in

the room

[14] The eye tends to be drawn to bright

ar-eas Where pictures or objects are illuminated,

they attract attention and help make for

agree-able and interesting hallway lighting

[15-16] Recessed wall luminaires and step

lights with LED or halogen lamps make for

added safety However, provision needs to be

made for the necessary power outlets at an

early construction stage.

1817

that distinguishes it from the next This is best achieved with a luminaire installed

at the top landing or by step lights that are integrated in the wall and illuminate each step separately Staircase and hall area should also be uniformly and brightly illuminated by the general lighting Wall luminaires make for a more informal lighting atmosphere and set positive ac-cents Care must be taken, however, to ensure that the light does not dazzle any-one walking up or down the stairs and does not give rise to confusing cast shadows

Lighting Special: Lighting design and planning

A single luminaire is not enough to provide perfect lighting for a room Good lighting design depends on a sensitive composition of diverse light sources at different locations This creates atmosphere and defines different zones for reading, work or relaxation

At the heart of a successful lighting design

is knowledge of the different functions of lighting

In nature, the soft diffuse light of the sky combines with the dynamic, directional light of the sun to present a spectacular ever-changing show of light and shadow

Magical moments are created, for ple, when sunbeams dance in the forest or shafts of light suddenly burst through the clouds on an overcast day

exam-In the home, background illuinance is provided by general room lighting, while individual areas are visually accentuated

by supplementary lighting for specific zones These two components are essen-tial for lighting that is not just functional but also promotes a sense of wellbeing and is good for health

Room and zone lighting is supplemented

by mood lighting This is not primarily for illumination; like a fire, it acts as an eye-catching design feature and adds a spe-cial note to the atmosphere of the home

Room lighting [20]

Room lighting is general, background lighting It spreads illumination evenly throughout the room

Room lighting is realised with light directed

up towards the ceiling or with luminaires that radiate light uniformly in all directions

This provides the background illuminance needed for orientation Reducing marked

differences in brightness, it facilitates aptation between different lighting zones and thus helps prevent early visual fatigue.Without general room lighting – e.g in a living room in which the only light is pro-vided by a reading light beside the sofa – we find our surroundings dark and dis-turbing Balanced room lighting creates a comfortable atmosphere and promotes a sense of wellbeing

ad-Zone lighting [21]

Zone lighting provides light where it is needed for specific activities, such as reading, eating, working, studying im-ages At the same time, it sets stimulating lighting accents that are as important for harmony in the room as uniform general room lighting

This accentuating light is provided by spots directed downwards or at a wall The more flexible the positioning of the lumi-naire, the better the light can be directed

to where it is needed Where a dining table

is illuminated by general room lighting alone, the atmosphere tends to feel sterile Zone lighting underlines the cosy intimacy

of family mealtimes

Mood lighting [22]

Mood lighting creates a special phere It emits light but provides little il-lumination Instead, it conjures up comfort, romance, fascination, passion Its sole purpose is to soothe heart and soul

atmos-[19] Orientation lights set into the floor, e.g in

a hallway or stairwell, give walls or individual

elements a sculptural, almost architectural

quality LEDs are particularly suitable for this

because of their small dimensions and long

life

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Mood lighting is most effective in the

evening, when the surroundings are dark

The only important thing is that it should

not be too bright; this is essential for a

relaxing atmosphere So mood lights

should glow rather than shine They can

be positioned wherever they will have an

impact, e.g on a windowsill, dresser, shelf

or the floor

Electrics – planning ahead

In a new building, early electrical planning

is the key to good lighting design As a

matter of principle, it is better to plan too

many wall or ceiling outlets than too few

If a room is rearranged later or put to a

different use, the lighting can then still be

flexibly adapted to suit the new situation

Mounting options

Most residential interiors have plastered

concrete ceilings with or without recessed

ceiling outlet boxes These boxes offer the

advantage of a larger connection

compart-ment, in which small transformers,

bal-lasts or even recessed luminaires can be

accommodated In the case of luminaires

with a small ceiling base, one

disadvan-tage may be found if the mounting hole

spacing of the luminaire differs from that of

the outlet box or if the luminaire base is too

small to cover the cavity

Where power outlets are not available

at the right place, track or wire systems

can help Supplied with electricity at any

point, they bridge the gap to where the

light is needed For example, they are an

elegant solution for providing light over a

dining table where there is no power outlet

available They eliminate the need for an

extension cord looping across the room

Some manufacturers also offer cable ducts

specially designed to suit luminaires

dry-lined, power outlets are easier to ploy than in concrete ceilings Even here, however, early light source planning is still the better option The cavity available of-fers lots of possibilities for lighting design

de-For one thing, it can be used to date transformers or ballasts; for another,

accommo-it permaccommo-its the use of recessed spots or miniature plug-in lights

Lighting plan

A lighting plan is essential for precise, sophisticated planning of home lighting installations It should be drawn to scale, define the lighting characteristics required

in the room and show furnishings and functional zones The types and numbers

of all luminaires should be identified and their assignment to furniture and electrical circuits indicated The lighting plan can also show general installation requirements for switches, dimmers, sockets or remote controls (see also page 16)

Specialist lighting retailers and lighting or electrical designers can provide a very useful service here based on modern light-ing design and calculation software

Lighting level and glare Lighting level is an important variable for good vision Older people need consider-ably more light than young people be-cause visual acuity decreases with age

On average, a 60-year-old requires twice

as high much illuminance (lux) as a child

or teenager This should be taken into count in any lighting design for a dwelling for older people

ac-Glare is generally caused by the presence

of highly luminant surfaces in the field of vision and comparatively weak ambient lighting Visual performance is impaired and prolonged exposure may result in fatigue, stress and poor concentration

Lamp or light?

The words lamp and light are often fused Lights are what the industry today calls luminaires but they are frequently re-ferred to in common parlance as “lamps“

con-i.e the fitment that emits light inside a luminaire Strictly speaking, any reference

to a lamp should really be a reference to a

“light bulb“

Basic lighting variablesLuminous flux, measured in lumen (lm), is the power or quantity of light emitted by a lamp

Luminous intensity, measured in candela (cd), is the amount of luminous flux radiat-ing in a particular direction

Luminance, measured in candela per square metre (cd/m²), is the brightness

of a surface as perceived by the human eye and is highly dependent on its colour, structure and reflectance

Illuminance, measured in lux (lx), is the luminous flux falling on a given surface.Light colour

Light colour is the intrinsic colour of the light emitted by an artificial light source

It is measured in degrees Kelvin (K) As a general rule, light colours are divided into three groups: warm white (below 3,300 K), neutral white (3,300-5,300 K) and daylight white (above 5,300 K)

Colour renderingColour rendering determines how naturally

we see colours under the light of an cial lamp The yardstick used to measure

artifi-it is the colour rendering index Ra Under the light of a lamp with a Ra rating of 100 (optimal), all colours look natural Halogen lamps have the best Ra index (100), fluo-rescent lamps and energy-saving lamps are normally in the region of Ra = 80-90 Colour rendering properties range from

Ra20 - Ra100 and depend crucially on the quality of the light source

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Lighting tip:

Indirect room lighting

Cove lighting [25]: Coving is the curving

transition between wall and ceiling

Lumi-naires installed here deliver an indirect,

diffuse light This creates the impression that

the ceiling is floating in the air To achieve

uniform light distribution with no dark zones,

coving is fitted with linear fluorescent lamps

overlapping at the ends or with LEDs For

rooms without coving, luminaires are

avail-able with housings which form the coving

themselves

Living room lighting

Reading, chatting, watching TV, playing games no room in the home is used for as many different activities

as the living room So it is all the more important that lighting should be variable and designed to cater to different moods and requirements A single luminaire in the middle of the ceiling is not enough.

[23] Ceiling spots set accents on the wall

and make the room look larger

[24,26] Standalone luminaires beside the

sofa provide light for reading and strike a

homely note in the room To enable the

light-ing to cater to different moods, it should be

dimmable

Lighting is crucial for the atmosphere of

a room Harmonious lighting provides good visual conditions and creates a sense of homeliness

Given the multifunctional nature of a ing room, the light sources in it need to

liv-be flexible to meet diverse requirements

The central meeting-point in a living room is often the seating group In this area, lighting should be positioned to suit personal needs

Decentralised luminaire arrangement

To enable the specific requirements of the various zones of a living room to be met, a “decentralised“ arrangement of different luminaires is recommended This zone lighting is combined with indirect room lighting that illuminates the ceiling

For those who prefer even cosier roundings, the atmosphere can be further enhanced by mood lights

sur-General lighting for the living room The general lighting in a living room should provide the background illuminance required – preferably with dimming con-trol – and deliver indirect, diffuse light that subtly supports the accent lighting Helping

to reduce marked lighting contrasts in the room, it guards against visual fatigue Wide-angled and general-diffuse wall, ceiling

or standalone luminaires offer appropriate lighting solutions

In museums or hotels, luminous ceilings or cove luminaires (see lighting tip) are often used for indirect lighting This type of light-ing can also enhance a private living room

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Controls and switches Intelligent positioning of control elements, such as switches, is crucial for ensuring that correct lighting is quickly, flexibly and easily accessible They should always be located where they are needed: 1) at the side of the door and 2) in the zone in which the luminaire is used, e.g at the sofa, in the work corner or at the TV set.

But how can switches and other control elements be positioned where they are needed? That is very easy: thanks to modern wireless technology they can be glued or screwed in place at any point

in the room without the need for cabling For maximum flexibility, a mobile remote control system can be added Lights can then be conveniently operated without get-ting up, e.g from reading in an armchair or working at a table

Luminous ceilings bathe a room in diffuse light and create the impression of a kind of courtyard with open sky overhead As an alternative for the home, the market offers individual large-area luminaires, which create a similar effect With RGB-controlled LEDs or fluorescent lamps, there is also the possibility of introducing coloured or colour-changing light

Accent and zone lighting for the living room Zone lighting is provided by free-stand-ing, table or pendant luminaires, e.g over the coffee table The brighter lighting zones thus produced lend structure to the room and enliven the atmosphere

The general rule is: to optimise the impact

of lighting accents, it is important to sure that they stand out clearly from the general lighting

en-[27] Clip-on luminaires can cast shelves or

mirrors in a dramatic light and draw attention

to interesting details

[28] Wall luminaires set accents and create

decorative patterns of reflected light on the

wall

[29] A variety of light sources enables

light-ing levels in the kitchen, dinlight-ing table and

lounge area to be adjusted as required

[31] A high-intensity uplight provides soft

indirect room lighting and makes for good

background illuminance

Lighting tip:

Television

TV lighting [30]: At and around the television

set, lighting should be variable For reading

or for working at a PC, the area around the

screen should be illuminated by

low-lumi-nance diffuse light This reduces the

bright-ness contrast between screen and

back-ground and prevents early fatigue

Wall or table luminaires providing diffuse light

behind or beside the television set create a

re-laxing, agreeable lighting atmosphere There

are also TV sets on the market with integrated

background lighting

Important note: To rule out annoying

reflec-tions, care should be taken to ensure that

light, e.g from ceiling spots, is not directed at

the screen

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Weitere Themen: Licht für Zimmerpflanzen

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Lighting tip:

Reading light

Combined room and reading light [35]

Uplights with an integrated, adjustable arm provide bright room lighting and accentu-ated reading light Ideally, both light sources should be separately dimmable Ensure that the arm-mounted luminaire head permits flexible adjustment To avoid glare, the light should fall on the book from above and behind or from above and at the side of the reader Good specialist lighting shops offer

a large selection of combined luminaires – in designs ranging from traditional to modern and with a wide variety of lamp types

Reading light

Any part of a living room used for reading

has special lighting requirements First of

all, directional light is important for

illumi-nating the reading area; secondly,

atten-tion needs to be paid to the ambient

light-ing It is not advisable to bathe the book

in bright light and leave the background in

darkness This would present the eye with

a constant need to compensate for marked

differences in brightness Which invariably

results in early visual fatigue

Good background illuminance in the room

– and thus comfortable reading light - is

achieved with uplights or wallwashers for

indirect lighting Bright wall surfaces reflect

the light softly and evenly into the room To

enable the lighting to be adjusted to

differ-ent personal needs, all luminaires should

be dimmable

Free-standing side lights with adjustable

shades provide sufficient brightness for the

reading area Uplights and wall or clamp luminaires with an adjustable arm-mounted luminaire head are also well suited for the purpose The luminaire can thus be flexibly re-positioned if the seated

or reclining reader moves

Good colour rendering – and thus a inely good read – is achieved, in particular, through the use of halogen lamps with a colour rendering index of Ra 100

genu-The best place for a light source is side or behind the reader This ensures that the eye is not dazzled by either direct light from the front or reflected light on the paper

along-As a general rule, an older person needs twice as much light as a youngster to experience the same sense of brightness for good visual performance Sensitivity to glare also increases significantly with age

[32-34] A comfortable chair and ing luminaire make for a snug reading area

free-stand-[33] Shade luminaires lend themselves well

to the use of energy-saving compact cent lamps.

fluores-Simultaneous room use with different lighting requirements

Living rooms are often used by different persons for different activities at the same time To ensure that one person‘s reading light does not interfere with another per-son‘s work at a laptop by creating disturb-ing reflections on the screen, all luminaires

in the room should be appropriately positioned, angled and shielded

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[36-38] ] A track system delivers light to where it is needed – regardless of where the power outlet is located The freely positionable spots on the track set accents and highlight selected objects in the room

[37] Many track systems can be used cally as well as horizontally They thus enable light to be harnessed to underline and accen- tuate special architectural features

verti-Track systems are effective lighting tools

and problem-solvers

Track systems are ideal lighting tools,

of-fering innumerable possibilities for

custom-ised lighting design throughout the home

They can be used both for general room

lighting with wide-angle room or ceiling

floods and for accent lighting with spots on

furniture, pictures or plants

Because spots, floods and pendant

luminaires are easy to reposition on the

track, they can be placed wherever they

are needed at any time For a party, for

example, where the table is extended for

a buffet, the light sources can simply be

repositioned to meet the new, temporary

requirements An even better lighting

solu-tion for such occasions could be achieved

by providing additional luminaires or spots

and adjusting the system accordingly

Care must be taken, however, to ensure

that the maximum capacity of the system

is not exceeded In the case of low-voltage systems, it is particularly important to check that the sum of the watt ratings of the spots is no greater than the „VA rating“

of the transformer A 300VA transformer, for example, has the capacity to operate a maximum of 15 spots with a 20W rating or six spots with a 50W rating

Many track systems have more than one electrical circuit This makes it possible, for example, for the lights that illuminate the table to be switched off while others con-tinue to highlight pictures on the wall For optimum convenience, wireless systems can be used to permit every single light to

be individually switched and/or dimmed

Track systems are also a good solution where – as is unfortunately often the case – only a single ceiling outlet is avail-able in the middle of the room A track system can deliver light in straight lines, around corners or in curving arrange-

ments to wherever it is needed To make the room appear larger, systems should

be wall-oriented and follow the contours

of the room However, a converse rangement can also be used to achieve

ar-a specific effect Trar-ack lighting thar-at runs across a long, narrow room, for example, makes the room look shorter And light-ing suspended well below a high ceiling makes the ceiling seem lower

The geometrical - and thus interior design - possibilities of track systems are endless Installable in linear, L or T-shaped, cruciform, oval or undulating arrangements, they allow the imagina-tion full rein A specialist lighting retailer, electrical engineer or lighting designer can help you select and assemble the right lighting system

For safety, the installation work should always be done by a professional

39 40

Light for pictures and objects

Picture lighting in a living room sets

posi-tive accents, adds drama and makes the

room look larger by illuminating the walls

Whether originals, prints or photographs,

art works bathed in accentuating light

stand out from their surroundings and

thus develop their full visual impact The

light should fall on the image from above,

generated at a point around 1 - 1.5 m from

the wall

Three picture lighting solutions

Recessed or surface-mounted ceiling

spots lend themselves well to picture

light-ing Simple and discreet, they make the

light and the object the focus of attention

Sadly, the power outlets required are often

not available at the points where they are

needed A suspended ceiling or early

planning are the answer here

Another option is to mount a gallery track

system on the wall This can be supplied

with electricity from an existing power outlet, a corner of the room or a shelving unit Another advantage of a gallery track system is its variability The spots normally project around 40-60cm into the room and can be repositioned on the track to cater for changing arrangements of pictures

These systems are the solution of choice for a room where artworks on the wall are frequently replaced Gallery track is available in low-voltage and high-voltage systems for halogen lamps or LEDs

Low-voltage halogen luminaires offer the best and most brilliant light However, they require a transformer Where a power outlet is available, this can be mounted on the wall Alternatively, it can be accom-modated in a cabinet or shelving unit

at the end of the track In this case, the transformer needs to display a “M“, “MM“

or “F“ symbol, confirming that it is allowed

to be mounted on flammable surfaces

A transformer is not required for voltage track systems These systems

high-offer the possibility of e.g incorporating supplementary uplights for the general room lighting

The third option is to use individual picture lights These are a solution for setting a lighting accent and emphasizing

a single picture on a fairly small wall They are available in a wide variety of different designs with LED, fluorescent or halogen lamps LED and fluorescent lamps have the advantage of energy efficiency and the capacity to illuminate large areas Halogen luminaires consume moderately more energy but have better colour ren-dering properties

Original paintings are sensitive to UV ation Prolonged exposure to daylight and artificial lighting can cause colours to fade and damage the fabric of the artwork Spe-cial filters that reduce UV and IR radiation should be used to protect valuable paint-ings Sculptures often need to be seen in the right light to develop their full visual

Lighting tip:

Colour rendering

Good colour rendering ensures that the colours

of your pictures look as natural as possible [41]:

When choosing lamps, make sure you check

their colour rendering index (Ra) This defines

how natural objects look under artificial lighting

Lamps with a Ra 100 rating render objects in

perfectly natural colours Ra values range from

20 to 100

For picture lighting, always use lamps with a

col-our rendering index of at least Ra 80-100

Halogen lamps have the best rating (Ra 100),

fluorescent and energy-saving lamp ratings are

normally in the Ra 80-90 range

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[39-42] Illuminating pictures and objects

makes them more visually assertive and helps

create a pleasant and stimulating lighting

atmosphere in the room Where pictures are

mounted behind glass, lighting needs to be

angled so that the observer is not disturbed

by reflections

impact Light should be directed onto the

object from different directions so that its

three-dimensionality is underlined by light

and shadow Narrow-beam halogen spots

are a highly suitable option here

For illuminating objects in showcases,

LEDs are the best choice because of

their minimal space requirements and low

heat gain Where good colour rendering

is needed, halogen lamps are particularly

recommended

Lighting Special: Lighting control, light and colour

Imagine the home as a stage As in the theatre, light can be harnessed here to transport emotions and create moods - from businesslike to romantic, stimulating to relaxing Good lighting design offers the possibility of crucially influencing residents’ sense of wellbeing.

A good play or film develops its drama from skilled use of lighting Sadly, the light-ing found in people’s homes often pales

in comparison Drawing inspiration from stage lighting can be very rewarding

A variable lighting design needs to dress three basic functions: room lighting, accent lighting and mood lighting

ad-Achieving the right mix and catering to different mood and functional requirements call for a variety of light sources with vari-able luminous intensities

This forms the basis for differentiated ing, just as on a stage Now it is up to the user to switch and dim the lights to suit individual needs A central lighting control system is very convenient here It offers the opportunity to save complex lighting scenes and retrieve them as required at the push of a button Any lighting mood can thus be created – for a party or work

light-session, a quiet hour with a good book or

an intimate evening for two

Dinner with friends, for example, thus becomes a genuine lighting experience – from the moment the guests are welcomed

in bright, widespread light through the aperitif at twilight to the meal itself with intense light over the table and accent light picking out pictures on the walls Dessert

is served in subdued warm indirect mood light, in which the candles on the table are suddenly much more prominent and the conversations perhaps become more intimate and intense

The interaction of light, time and space here can be harnessed to create a special kind of suspense Technical requirements include signal receivers in luminaires or junction boxes, which can be retrofitted Free-standing or table luminaires can also

be integrated at a later date by the use of special adapter plugs

[43] Mobile LED luminaires can be

flex-ibly used in the home to bathe rooms in

coloured light and create seamless colour

sequences

[44] A lighting control system provides the

convenience of remote switching and

dim-ming – so no more need for the awkward

task of setting each luminaire individually

[45-46] A sophisticated lighting concept

can imbue one and the same room with

totally different lighting atmospheres

The blue view shows a fresh

morn-ing with diffuse cool light and austere,

highly focused warm white accents The

red example simulates a Mediterranean

autumn afternoon with warm, directional,

soft-edged light and reddish background

lighting

The signal receivers are addressed by a

remote control device, multifunction switch

or computer and regulated according to

the user‘s requirements In new buildings,

the data transfer is via cables; where the

system is retrofitted, communication is by

modern wireless technology

But the technological possibilities are not

confined to just lighting productions and

planning A central control unit – itself

remote-controlled by a mobile phone – can

perform a wide range of tasks, from

turn-ing on the central heatturn-ing on the way home

to simulating an occupied house when the

family is away on holiday

Good systems, installed and programmed

by professionals, are easy to operate and

meet the challenges of daily use

For older or disabled persons in particular,

such systems are not just a convenience;

they are a practical daily tool

Light and colour

Colour has a dramatic effect on the way

we feel and is capable of establishing and

promoting a sense of wellbeing Colour

psychologists can cite many examples of

light colours affecting our sense of warmth

in a room or having a soothing, stimulating

or performance-boosting impact

The privacy of the home offers larly suitable opportunities for casting in-dividual zones in coloured light and thus shaping occupants‘ emotional response

particu-At the push of a button, for example, a living room or bedroom wall could be bathed in meditative blue, refreshing green or stimulating red light To support our daily rhythm, warm light colours with

a higher red content are preferable in the evening; blue ones should generally be avoided

Coloured lighting productions are sible thanks to modern RGB control systems for LEDs or fluorescent lamps

pos-These systems work by additive colour mixing, which can produce a theoreti-cal 16.7 million colours from the three primaries (red, green, blue light) by finely adjusting their respective intensities In most cases, RGB control systems offer the possibility of running through pro-grammed colour sequences at different speeds or setting a selected colour for

a static lighting experience Luminaires with dynamic (colour-changing) RGB control systems have been on the market for quite some time Since LEDs swept

into the domestic luminaire market, LED technology has also become afford-able for the private consumer Here the market offers a wide variety of large and small RGB-controlled lighting objects However, colour productions over entire walls or ceilings can only be realised with high-performance RGB floods made

Specialist lighting retailers, electrical engineers and lighting designers are the best persons to consult on this matter

Dining room lighting

As a central point of the home, the dining room merits special attention when it comes to selecting the right lighting From intimate family gatherings to big social occasions – everything in the dining room revolves around the table A place where family and friends gather, it is also a place for playing games, for working and for eating

The dining table needs to be able to meet

a series of changing daily requirements

So the lighting should be flexible adjustable, dimmable pendant luminaires ensure that the right light is available – not only for eating but also for other activities

Height-Easily repositionable pendant luminaires

on wire, rod or tracks systems are the best option here With some new track systems, repositioning is even possible by moving luminaire heads from below So there is no need to climb a stepladder to rearrange the luminaires if the table is ex-tended These systems also permit more luminaires to be added

One of the primary purposes of ble lighting is to illuminate the table top brightly while leaving the persons around it in subdued stray light Lumi-naires should be suspended just above eye level A dining table luminaire

ta-should not obscure the view of the son sitting opposite and must definitely not be a source of glare The distance between the table top and the lower edge of the luminaire should therefore

per-be around 60 cm Suitable lighting tions here include luminaires with satin

op-or gloss finish opal enclosures, tinted enclosures or closely woven fabric shades

Modern high or low-voltage halogen lamps are recommended for distinctive table lighting with good colour rendering characteristics

The design of the luminaire(s) should reflect the shape of the table A round dining table normally calls for a round pendant luminaire, a rectangular one either an elongated model or lights sus-pended in a linear arrangement

[47] Track systems and luminaires that can

be slid along them are ideal for extendable

tables and offer extra flexibility for adjustment

to new room situations

[48] Touch-dimmable pendant luminaires are

a particularly practical solution They enable

the lighting to be dimmed for dessert, for

example, without anyone having to leave the

table

[50] Colour can be a trump card when it

comes to selecting the right luminaire Care

should always be taken, however, to ensure

that the table is brightly enough illuminated

and the food cast in the right light

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Lighting tips:

Dining room

Table lighting [49]: The distance between

the table top and the lower edge of the

lu-minaire should be around 60 cm so that eye

contact with the person opposite is possible

without glare or obstruction

Possible alternatives to pendant luminaires:

Where suspended luminaires are stylistically

wrong, ceiling luminaires with highly focused

beams can provide alternative zone lighting

for a dining table

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[51] Pendant luminaires are a particularly

good vehicle for making a personal design

statement and expressing personal taste

To ensure that the luminaire chosen gives

pleasure for the longest possible time, it is

important to consult at length with a specialist

dealer.

[52] The use of wall luminaires and lights

il-luminating pictures makes for a greater sense

of space The lighting accents thus created

also enliven the atmosphere and cause the

eye to linger repeatedly at different points in

the room

[53] Because of their compact dimensions,

LEDs permit luminaires of ground-breaking

shallow design This pendant luminaire is

height-adjustable and also saves energy due

to modern LED technology

Supplementary luminaires can be used to

create a special room atmosphere

Creating an agreeable atmosphere

re-quires more than just dining table lighting;

it also calls for attractive general lighting

If the space outside the eating area is

not illuminated, the room looks cramped

and dreary Free-standing luminaires, wall

luminaires or picture lights can be usefully

deployed here to set additional accents

All luminaires in the room should be on separate operating circuits if possible One

of the keys to creating a homely phere lies in the use of luminaires produc-ing different levels of brightness

atmos-Pictures, plants or fine furniture can be emphasized particularly well through the use of light Flexible spots on wire and rod systems or power track are useful here – especially if not enough power outlets are

available where spotlighting is needed Good lighting is thus guaranteed even if the room is subsequently rearranged All halogen lamps – whether they oper-ate on low or high voltage - have optimal colour rendering characteristics and thus make for a warm and natural atmosphere They can be dimmed to the point where the light they emit is only just perceptible This is intimate, cosy and easy on the eye

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